Druon Antigoon
Encyclopedia
Druon Antigoon was a mythical giant
who lived in Antwerp.
Guarding a bridge on the river Scheldt
, he exacted a toll from those crossing the river. For those who refused, he severed one of their hands and threw it into the river. Eventually, Antigoon was slain by a young Roman
soldier named Brabo
, who cut off the giant's own hand and flung it into the river.
According to folklore
, and as celebrated by the statue
in front of the town hall, this legend is the origin of the name Antwerp: Antwerpen, from Dutch
hand werpen—akin to Old English hand and wearpan (= to throw), that has changed to today's warp.
Giant (mythology)
The mythology and legends of many different cultures include monsters of human appearance but prodigious size and strength. "Giant" is the English word commonly used for such beings, derived from one of the most famed examples: the gigantes of Greek mythology.In various Indo-European mythologies,...
who lived in Antwerp.
Guarding a bridge on the river Scheldt
Scheldt
The Scheldt is a 350 km long river in northern France, western Belgium and the southwestern part of the Netherlands...
, he exacted a toll from those crossing the river. For those who refused, he severed one of their hands and threw it into the river. Eventually, Antigoon was slain by a young Roman
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
soldier named Brabo
Silvius Brabo
Silvius Brabo is a mythical Roman soldier who is said to have killed a giant, and by this would have created the name Brabant.Later this story was also used to explain the name Antwerp . Brabo once killed a giant, called Druon Antigoon, who asked money from people who wanted to pass the bridge over...
, who cut off the giant's own hand and flung it into the river.
According to folklore
Folklore
Folklore consists of legends, music, oral history, proverbs, jokes, popular beliefs, fairy tales and customs that are the traditions of a culture, subculture, or group. It is also the set of practices through which those expressive genres are shared. The study of folklore is sometimes called...
, and as celebrated by the statue
Statue
A statue is a sculpture in the round representing a person or persons, an animal, an idea or an event, normally full-length, as opposed to a bust, and at least close to life-size, or larger...
in front of the town hall, this legend is the origin of the name Antwerp: Antwerpen, from Dutch
Dutch language
Dutch is a West Germanic language and the native language of the majority of the population of the Netherlands, Belgium, and Suriname, the three member states of the Dutch Language Union. Most speakers live in the European Union, where it is a first language for about 23 million and a second...
hand werpen—akin to Old English hand and wearpan (= to throw), that has changed to today's warp.